RACHEL E. BROOKER

I wasn’t always like this……

When I was younger, I would often leave my bedroom in a complete mess, and somehow just be able to live like that! I would – (and I remember this so vividly) step over the clothes or toys that lined the floor, they were fine there…..

and then, one day, something changed in me.

I suddenly found myself wanting to keep my room tidy. I enjoyed scrubbing the bathroom. I would help out spraying the kitchen surfaces and mopping the floor. I’d be armed with polish and dusters. There was something about the cathartic effect that it released – and the sense of personal satisfaction, the fact that, with just a little time, that dirt or spillage would simply vanish (no pun intended….)

The process of tidying my room? I now find so relaxing. I ‘switch up’ the writing desk so it looks different every week, admittedly not yesterday, I was too tired from work – but normally, my room isn’t just a room – it’s my little ‘cubby hole’ where the magic of writing happens, where I am surrounded by my various obsessions: Harry Potter, Robin Hood, writing books, notebooks, and of course anything to do with my own book, ‘Will Worthington and The Black Rainbow.’

I can’t begin to tell you how many pineapples I now have. Not all of them are on the desk, but quite a few are 🙂 There’s a photo of my main character, and a Niffler is (as we speak) wearing pineapple glasses…..

Over the last year, I wasn’t working. I knew I needed another form of income to support my writing life, but I had no idea what to do. In the end, I decided to email a hotel and asked if there were any opportunities to help with the cleaning.

Two months later, I got a housekeeping role there!!!!

I love the people, the job, the building itself, and believe it or not, my favourite thing to do is clean the bathrooms! It’s not only the gleaming that makes me smile, but the scents – I love cif, toilet duck, lemon disinfectant, shower spray, anti bac – I must have a very good, unique nose? I even love washing up liquid….

and washing up in general.

At first, duvets were beasts that could smother you whole. Not anymore. I know how to lie one flat and it takes me less than two minutes (on average) to put the duvet into the duvet cover! Success!

The only thing I struggle with still at the moment is hoovering, quickly, and transporting the hoover, but I’m getting there – the trick is to teach that hoover who is boss. At times, it can be like wrestling with an anaconda, a description I am now going to use in my book soon when Will and co arrive at a certain pineapple themed hotel…..

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my quick glimpse into my love of cleaning

Time to edit

Yes!!!!!!

xxxxxxx